Roly-Poly Toy Device Having Function of Illumination

ABSTRACT

A roly-poly toy device with function of illumination is provided. The roly-poly toy device comprises a weighted base, a middle base and a top housing. The weighted base with a bottom housing and a weighted object is combined with the top housing to enclose the middle base. The weighted object and the middle base are fixed onto the bottom housing. The middle base has light emitting device formed thereon. When the light emitting device inside the top housing is activated, the roly-poly toy device can emit light for illuminating.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to a roly-poly toy, moreparticularly, to a roly-poly toy device having function of illumination,which is embedded with light emitting device.

BACKGROUND

A roly-poly toy, round-bottomed doll, tilting doll, tumbler or wobblyman is a toy that rights itself when pushed over. The bottom of aroly-poly toy is round, roughly a hemisphere. Many roly-poly toys arehollow, with a weight inside the bottom. They have a center of massbelow the center of the hemisphere, so that any tilting raises thecenter of mass. When such a toy is pushed over, it wobbles for a fewmoments while it seeks the upright orientation, which has an equilibriumat the minimum gravitational potential energy.

The roly-poly toy can represent a person, an animal, or anything else.Different toy manufacturers and different cultures producedifferent-looking roly-poly toys, and the self-righting characteristicof the toy has come to symbolize the ability to have success, overcomeadversity, and recover from misfortune.

A traditional roly-poly toy (RPT), or “tumbler” toy, is a passivetoddler's toy that can manage to stay upright despite apparent attemptsto topple it. When physically disturbed, the RPT rocks about itstypically rounded base, and perhaps is incidentally displaced a veryshort distance from place to place, but does not topple over. Failure totopple is due to the toy's bottom-heavy weight distribution. When thetoy's positioning is disturbed, the toy rocks in an interesting mannerand ultimately, absent further disturbance, returns to an uprightposition.

As described above, the invention proposes a newly concept and functionof roly-poly toy device different from conventional roly-poly toys.Accordingly, there is a possibility that the invention's roly-poly toydevice is superior to prior art's roly-poly toys.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the invention, it proposes a roly-poly toydevice with function of illumination, comprising a weighted base havinga bottom housing and a weighted object, wherein the bottom housing has afirst accommodating space for holding the weighted object; a middle basehaving at least one light emitting device, a circuit board and a switchfixed on the middle base, a control circuit coupled to the circuit boardfor controlling the at least light emitting device, wherein the middlebase locates on the weighted object, and the switch coupled to the atleast one light emitting device for selectively power on and power offthe at least one light emitting device; and a top housing withtransparent or translucent property, fixed on the bottom housing,wherein the top housing has a second accommodating space surrounding themiddle base.

In an aspect, the roly-poly toy further comprises at least onedecoration unit disposed on a bottom portion of the top housing. Aspring is connected to the at least one decoration unit and the bottomportion of the top housing. The light emitting device is a lightemitting diode.

In another aspect, the weighted object and the middle base are fixed onthe bottom housing.

In yet another aspect, the weighted object has a third accommodatingspace for holding the middle base.

In one aspect, the roly-poly toy device further comprises a buzzerdisposed on the middle base for coupling to the circuit board.

In one aspect, the roly-poly toy device further comprises a rock switchfor coupling to the circuit board. The rock switch is ball-rollingswitch, vibration ball switch or contact type vibration switch.

In another aspect, the roly-poly toy device further comprises a music ICfor coupling to the circuit board.

In yet another aspect, the control circuit is an integrated circuit andis programmed with one or more patterns for flashing and/or maintainingillumination of the light emitting devices. The middle base includes abattery compartment. A battery may be disposed on the batterycompartment. A bottom cover may be combined with or detachable from themiddle base.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The components, characteristics and advantages of the present inventionmay be understood by the detailed descriptions of the preferredembodiments outlined in the specification and the drawings attached:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a roly-poly toy device havingfunction of illumination according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an expanded view of a roly-poly toy device accordingto one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 illustrate an expanded view of the middle base and theweighted base of the FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a roly-poly toy device havingfunction of illumination according to another embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 6 illustrates an expanded view of the middle base and the weightedbase of the FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Some preferred embodiments of the present invention will now bedescribed in greater detail. However, it should be recognized that thepreferred embodiments of the present invention are provided forillustration rather than limiting the present invention. In addition,the present invention can be practiced in a wide range of otherembodiments besides those explicitly described, and the scope of thepresent invention is not expressly limited except as specified in theaccompanying claims.

The present invention provides a roly-poly toy device having function ofillumination, which is equipped with light emitting device. Purpose ofthe invention proposes a roly-poly toy device equipped with lightemitting device capable of creating function of illumination.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a roly-poly toy device havingfunction of illumination according to the invention. As shown in FIG. 1,a roly-poly toy device 100 includes a top housing 101 and a bottomhousing 102, wherein one or more light emitting device(s) and one ormore decoration unit(s) are fixed (disposed) on a middle base or abottom portion (area) of the top housing 102, within internal space ofthe top housing 101 combined with the bottom spacing 102. For example,the bottom housing 102 has a first accommodating space for holding aweighted object. The top housing 101 is made of transparent ortranslucent material, fixed on the bottom housing 102, wherein the tophousing 101 has a second accommodating space surrounding the middlebase. When the light emitting device within the top housing 101 isactivated (turned on), decoration unit(s) of the roly-poly toy device100 may be seen from outside.

In one embodiment, the top housing 101 and the bottom housing 102 may beattached to each other.

For example, the light emitting device includes one or more lightemitting diodes, or another type of light emitting unit or device.

FIG. 2 illustrates an expanded view of a roly-poly toy device accordingto one embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG.2, a roly-poly toy device 100 includes a top housing 101 with one ormore decoration unit(s) fixed thereon, a middle base 103, a bottomhousing 102 and a weighted object 104. The weighted object 104 is forfixing on the bottom housing 102 to form a weighted base. The middlebase 103 locates (attached) onto the weighted object 104. For example,size of the middle base 103 is the same as the weighted object 104. Forexample, the top housing 101 and the bottom housing 102 have sphericalcurvature surface. The middle base 103 is disposed between the tophousing 101 and the bottom housing 102.

The middle base 103 is used for carrying the light emitting device 112,a circuit board 115 and a switch 114, shown in FIG. 3. In oneembodiment, the circuit board 115 is disposed on the middle base 103. Inone embodiment, the circuit board 115 is coupled to the light emittingdevice 112. In one embodiment, the circuit board 115 includes a controlcircuit for controlling light emitting device 112. The light emittingdevice 112 is activated by the control circuit. The control circuit maybe disposed/configured on the circuit board 115. The circuit board 115is for example a printed circuit board. The switch 114 may be coupled toa power source 111 and light emitting device 112, which is activatableby a user. The switch 114 may be coupled to the circuit board 115 forswitching on/off state of the light emitting device 112. In oneembodiment, the circuit board 115 may be integrated onto the middle base103, and the switch 114 may be integrated onto the middle base 103, forcoupling to the light emitting device. The circuit board 115 iselectrically connected to the power source 111, such as battery. In oneembodiment, the circuit board 115 is electrically connected to battery111 via a connection line (wire) or electrical contact.

When the light emitting device 112 is activated, the roly-poly toydevice 100 is then emitting light for illumination.

In one embodiment, the light emitting device 112 is embedded on themiddle base 103. In one embodiment, the middle base 103 defines/provides a battery compartment 118 configured to hold a miniatureelectric battery 111 which provides the energy for the light emittingdevice, shown in FIG. 4. In one embodiment, a metal sheet 116 is mountedon backside of the middle base 103. For example, the metal sheet 116locates within the battery compartment 118 for electrical connectionwith the battery 111 and the circuit board 115.

For example, a bottom cover 110 may be combined with or detachable fromthe middle base 103. In this embodiment, the bottom housing 102 has afirst accommodating space 105 for holding a weighted object 104. Theweighted object 104 is shaped with the bottom housing 102 within firstaccommodating space 105. The bottom housing 102 has a first threaded nut(alignment hole, mounting recess) 107 and a second threaded nut 106within first accommodating space 105 which are considered to be female.The weighted object 104 has an alignment hole (mounting recess) 109 andconcave portion 108 for the second threaded nut 106 passing through. Themiddle base 103 has alignment hole (mounting recess) 113. The weightedobject 104 is fixed to the bottom housing 102 by a screw threading intothe first threaded nut 107 and the alignment hole 109. The middle base103 is fixed to the bottom housing 102 by another screw threading intothe second threaded nut 106 and the alignment hole 113. The weightedobject 104 is made of metal.

In one embodiment, the weighted 104 has a third accommodating space 120for holding the middle base 103, shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. In oneembodiment, a buzzer 117 may be disposed on the middle base 103 forcoupling to the circuit board 115, shown in FIG. 6.

In one embodiment, control circuit on the circuit board 115 is used forcontrolling the operation of the multiple LEDs housed within the tophousing 101. Control circuit is typically an integrated circuit and isprogrammed with one or more patterns for flashing and/or maintainingillumination of LEDs. The switch 114 is used to power on and power off(power source providing for) the light emitting device 112. The switch114 may also be used to cycle through any number of different lightpatterns of the light emitting device 112. For example, each lightemitting device (LED) 112 may be turned on for a fraction of a second inthe sequential order as they are positioned inside of the top housing101. It should be understood that the number of patterns possible isonly limited by the number of LEDs that are used in the top housing 101.

In one embodiment, the roly-poly toy device 100 further comprises a rockswitch for coupling to the circuit board 115 to determine electricalconnection of the circuit board 115. The rock switch is for exampleball-rolling switch, vibration ball switch or contact type vibrationswitch. In another embodiment, the roly-poly toy device 100 furthercomprises a music IC for coupling to the circuit board 115. The rockswitch is used to turn on electrical connection of the circuit board 115to activate the music IC and LEDs 112. When the roly-poly toy device 100swings, the music IC and LEDs 112 may be activated due to the rockswitch turning on.

In this embodiment, the top housing 101 is combined with (fixed to) thebottom housing 102 to form the roly-poly toy device 100. For example, abottom cover 110 may be combined with or detachable from the middle base103.

The foregoing descriptions are preferred embodiments of the presentinvention. As is understood by a person skilled in the art, theaforementioned preferred embodiments of the present invention areillustrative of the present invention rather than limiting the presentinvention. The present invention is intended to cover variousmodifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded thebroadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications andsimilar structures.

What is claimed is:
 1. A roly-poly toy device having function ofillumination, comprising: a weighted base having a bottom housing and aweighted object, wherein said bottom housing has a first accommodatingspace for holding said weighted object; a middle base having at leastone light emitting device, a circuit board and a switch fixed on saidmiddle base, a control circuit coupled to said circuit board forcontrolling said at least light emitting device, wherein said middlebase locates on said weighted object and is fixed on said bottomhousing, and said switch coupled to said at least one light emittingdevice for selectively power on and power off said at least one lightemitting device; and a top housing with transparent or translucentproperty, fixed on said bottom housing, wherein said top housing has asecond accommodating space.
 2. The roly-poly toy device of claim 1,further comprising at least one decoration unit disposed on a bottomportion of said top housing within said second accommodating space. 3.The roly-poly toy device of claim 2, further comprising a springconnected to said at least one decoration unit and said bottom portionof said top housing.
 4. The roly-poly toy device of claim 1, whereinsaid weighted object is fixed on said bottom housing.
 5. The roly-polytoy device of claim 1, wherein said at least one light emitting deviceis a light emitting diode.
 6. The roly-poly toy device of claim 1,wherein said weighted object has a third accommodating space for holdingsaid middle base.
 7. The roly-poly toy device of claim 1, furthercomprising a buzzer disposed on said middle base for coupling to saidcircuit board.
 8. The roly-poly toy device of claim 1, furthercomprising a music IC for coupling to said circuit board.
 9. Theroly-poly toy device of claim 1, further comprising a rock switch forcoupling to said circuit board.
 10. The roly-poly toy device of claim 9,wherein said rock switch is ball-rolling switch, vibration ball switchor contact type vibration switch.
 11. The roly-poly toy device of claim9, further comprising a music IC for coupling to said circuit board. 12.The roly-poly toy device of claim 11, wherein said control circuit is anintegrated circuit and is programmed with one or more patterns forflashing and/or maintaining illumination of said light emitting devices.13. The roly-poly toy device of claim 11, further comprising at leastone decoration unit disposed on a bottom portion of said top housing.14. The roly-poly toy device of claim 13, further comprising a springconnected to said at least one decoration unit and said bottom portionof said top housing.
 15. The roly-poly toy device of claim 11, whereinsaid weighted object is fixed on said bottom housing.
 16. The roly-polytoy device of claim 11, wherein said weighted object has a thirdaccommodating space for holding said middle base.
 17. The roly-poly toydevice of claim 1, wherein said middle base includes a batterycompartment.
 18. The roly-poly toy device of claim 17, furthercomprising a battery disposed on said battery compartment.
 19. Theroly-poly toy device of claim 17, further comprising a bottom covercombined with or detachable from said middle base.
 20. The roly-poly toydevice of claim 19, wherein said at least one light emitting device is alight emitting diode.